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This week I tried out a few new recipes from a cookbook called "Tapas" that I got for Christmas. Husband and I have been to Barcelona twice and we LOVE the way they eat, especially the small plates. Tapas can be made entree sized too, intended to serve many people.

I tried a Pork in Almond Sauce and Fried Garlic Mushrooms. The sauce for the pork was kind of labor intensive...blanch the almonds, fry them, puree them along with bread cubes, tomatoes, and onions, and garlic that have all been pan-fried. The sauce went into the crockpot (ok this was not in the recipe but I had stuff to do!) along with the pork tenderloin and I left it for about 8 hours. Perfect. Falling off the bone tender (if there was a bone!) Husband set to "shredding" it and remarked, "Now this is how I love my meat. Like ribbons. Like noodles. Noodles of meat." Well, that doesn't sound too appealing to me, but it was true. It didn't shred like pork normally does, it really looked like noodles of meat. Anyway, we served it on a bed of wilted spinach with the fried garlic mushrooms on the side. (Super easy...pan fry the mushrooms, then simmer them with a bunch of garlic in white wine.) Can't wait to try more recipes from this book!

We came in about $10 under budget for the week- we try to do $105 for the week, breakfast and lunch, food and drink- and this is what we ate:

Sunday was meatball and ricotta pizza

Monday was curried lentil soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches

Tuesday was the Almond Pork

Wednesday we snacked on olives and toasted almonds and had soup and sandwiches again

Thursday we had Chinese take out, our New Years Eve tradition

Friday we had dinner at a friend's, they made smoked ribs and asian slaw, and we brought shrimp cocktail

Saturday I made a lamb stew and fresh bread. I got a couple bread pans for Christmas (I have always just made flat bread) so it was very exciting to make a loaf of bread. It was beautiful and delicious and quite photogenic! Unfortunately my laptop with photos is on the fritz...so this is my first post ever without photos!

Congratulations for being cook of the week! I do enjoy your blogs. I think I could use some lessons on budgeting from you! When my kids were little and money was scarce I had no problem with the budget thing. Now, I just go to the store and buy what I want with no thought to cost. Then I get home and am so mad I spent so much!

YAY FOR COOK OF THE WEEK, woman!
i'm so proud of you...wow, you are just one bundle of success this week...the planets have aligned and you ROCK!! woo woo, woo woo!!!!

Capecodder33

Jan. 12, 2010 5:57 am

Hey...I lived on St.Croix for about 6 years growing up. My mom had a jewelry shop in Christiansted and my uncle still runs a restaurant on the island. But, my favorite island is St.John. Grats on being C.O.W !!!!

cookwithpam

Jan. 12, 2010 3:33 pm

Which island and what place is the photo with the pool? We loved St. Thomas when we vacationed there at a B&B and want to go back.

What a surprise to be Cook of the Week! cookwithpam, most of the photos are of St Thomas,some St John. The place with a the pool is a private home of some friends where we house sit when they are off island.

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About Me

I live on a sailboat in the Virgin Islands with a tiny fridge, so there is no room for leftovers. I love the ingredient search on this site...I never waste anything! It's very expensive to live here, so we do a menu challenge-trying to spend less than $15 a day on food.

My favorite things to cook
I am a jewelry designer and work for myself, so I have the flexibility to make time-consuming or complicated meals, but I usually end up making something quick and easy or using the slow cooker.

My favorite family cooking traditions
Oyster dressing is a must for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I keep Grandma's handwritten recipe and follow it exactly.

My cooking triumphs
My very first turkey for my husband! It's called a Black Turkey, and the best I've ever had!

My cooking tragedies
There was a Key Lime Pie that we do not talk about!